Tuesday, September 30, 2008

As money gets tight in this economy, I’ve received more calls than ever from people wanting to sell their valuable items – just like I thought. But remember, as antique and art buyers, we work just like real estate investors and stock investors. When the general public is in a panic and selling things off, when things look their worst, that’s when we buy. It’s in these times when the bargains will be found. True collectors are still waiting for you to contact them with that very special piece they’ve been hoping for, and you just might have found it.

We are in the last period of our website reconstruction, and I’m getting really excited in anticipation of the results .All members can now go to the Members Only Section and create a unique ID and Password. Once you create that, you can add the items you look to buy on your Wish List. It won’t show until the end of the week, but don’t until then to create your list. You can do it now.

Keep track of your progress in the Million Dollar Race by using your Personal Inventory Page right there on the website. This is a private page and only you will be able to view it. Please email or call us and let us hear how far you’ve progresses. For those of you who haven’t been following 31 Club, the Million Dollar Race is an inter-club competition to see who can compound $100 into a million dollars first.

We are almost there, so thanks to our many charter members for supporting us during the building of the 31 Club from the ground up.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Monday, September 29, 2008

If you came across a quality painting with only the initials “CC” signed, would it be worth your while to find out if this might be something of value? On the one hand, the time researching might pay off handsomely, but on the other hand, the time spent researching might add nothing more than another layer of knowledge, possibly to be used next time around.

This is the way it is in the Fine Arts business. You’ll often find signed paintings, but can’t decipher the signature. It may take you a lot of time researching and there’s a chance you’ll come up empty handed. But, the rewards of finding something valuable are fantastic. I found a painting one time that I knew had to be painted by a talented artist, but I couldn’t read the signature. My only solution was to go through the entire set of signature books I had, so I decided to do this. About halfway through the first book, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I found a direct match. At this point, I still didn’t know the value of my piece, but once I saw this artist’s signature in the book, I knew he was a listed artist and I could track this down.

I grabbed my Davenport’s Art Price Guideand quickly look him up. I discovered that the $150 I paid for this painting had been well spent. The least expensive of this artist’s work brought $5,000 while his top sale was over $82,000. I soon sold this painting for just over $12,500. If I had paid myself $200 for the time I spent researching, my profit still would have been over $11,500. Not bad for a little work.

Remember, we are looking for things others miss, and often the point where they walk away is when there’s a signature that isn’t clear. How many people do you suppose looked at that painting and thought that it just wouldn’t be worth the effort to research it.

There are other things people walk away from in the art world. For example, many famous artists used only initials to sign their work. If you don’t have a book on these monograms, then they’ll mean nothing to you. I use the American and European set of books called “Signatures and Monograms” by John Castagno. If you can find these used on the Internet or through Abesbooks or Amazon, they could be like gold to you.

In these books, you’ll also learn that artists often painted under more than one name. A woman may have painted under her maiden name, as well as her married name. These books also contain sections on indecipherable signatures and the symbols some artists used on their paintings.

You will also find where artist often painted under more than one name. A lady for instance my have painted under her maiden name and also her married name. They also have a sections in these books on indecipherable signatures and symbols that some artist used on their paintings.

Back to my original question – if you found a painting marked “CC”, would you take the time to research it? If you did, you’d discover it was painted by the famous artist Jean Baptiste Camilla Corot, and it would be very valuable. If a painting is signed, “Picasso” most people would pay attention, but if it had the initial D with the number 32 after it and you researched it, you’d know it was by Diego Rivera and it was time to snatch that up. And what if you could buy one of these for just a few hundred dollars, because somebody didn’t know what it was. The record for one of Rivera’s works is over $1,500,000. Like I said in my book, let’s spend our time where the money is.

One of our members just emailed me about a painting she purchased for $1200. If it’s genuine, it’s worth over $28,000. I have my fingers crossed for her. And presently, I’m researching a painting that could very easily be worth $65,000 or more. I’ll share the results with you when I get them, and it wouldn’t hurt to have your fingers crossed for me, too.

There are other sources of looking up artists, such as AskArt.com, ArtNet.com and ArtPrice.com. These are subscription based services. If you're a member of the 31 Club, rather than subscribing to these yourself, you can give us a call and we'll check the name and prices for you. That's just one more advantage of being a member.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

In several of my previous blogs, and in my book 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, I’ve commented that the marketplace will always adopt to the conditions its presented. Right now, in the Antiques and Fine Art Markets, we’re presented with various venues along with their associated fees that, today, have risen to unheard of levels. For example, today you find Auction houses collecting close to 50% of an item’s value in commissions and fees. They collect this amount by “double dipping” – collecting, what I consider, out-of-line- fees from the seller, and then charging the buyer a fee for the privilege of buying. I don’t know about this, but I have to ask myself this: When did auction houses become part owner of your inventory or your personal belongings? Last time I checked, my real estate agent was collecting 6% or less from the seller, and the buyer certainly didn’t have to pay a buyer’s fee for the privilege of buying.

This is just one example of what’s happened within industry, but the point is this: There is only so much people will take before they “revolt.” Lately, I am beginning to see the marketplace adapt to the conditions its been presented with lately, and people are beginning to rumble.

Business who have thrived on eBay in the past, are heading for the exit doors today, finding alternative sales formats due to eBay’s escalating fees. It can’t be too far down the road that people will revolt against the fees charged at auction houses, as well. I believe a shakeup is imminent, and ideas that have been germinating are now just sprouting.

31 Club and its programs for our industry is part of this shakeout and is sprouting a new venues, where both seller and buyer will benefit by lower fees and no buyers premium. A company who makes money on the back end after having provided a service, rather than on the front end.

There is no question in my mind that the Antique and Fine Art markets are going to have a shakeout, however the bigger question is this: What form will replace the existing way of doing business? I believe it will be a model similar to what we are creating at 31 Club, and a place where you can do the majority of your business on one site. 31 Club is a company you can partner up with and one that has been formed to assure your success before thinking about themselves. For these reasons and many more, I believe that the formation of the 31 Club is a glimpse into the future of this industry.

I believe companies like Blackwells Live Auction and Antique Associates at West Townsend, Inc. are companies whose pages you might want to explore, among others. If you become aware of companies who are shaking off the unreasonable ways, or you might be one of these companies yourselves, please send us an email and let us know. We’ll be writing about this approaching shakeout over this coming year and want to include those who are in step with the changing times.

Jeremy has assured me he hasn't even begun to create the most exciting site on the web for us, and we have begun discussions conducting having our own auctions. Wouldn't that be great to have fees for services that don’t require you to declare them as half owner of your belongings.Your ideas about how we might improve services to members are welcome and encouraged. Please e-mail us at info@31corp.com or give us a call at 847-784-8544

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Before you invest in good leaded crystal glass, it's a good idea to handle many high quality pieces and become familiar with the weight and designs of the better ones. It's easy to get fooled today, and we don't want to let that happen to us.

Good leaded crystal can have marks, and it's a good idea to become acquainted with them. Often, all clear glass looks alike, but it isn’t. In your study, these differences will become apparent.

It would seem easy to say, all that's necessary to recognize this quality glass is to look at the bottom of each piece to see the mark. But truth is, there's an influx of what I call "copycat" pieces on the market today, and unless you're familiar with marks, you could be fooled.

Some of the best cut glass that was ever produced is marked. At a house sale, I often have taken a piece from one room to another trying to get just the right light on a glass item so that I could pick up that faintest piece of a mark, such as a Lalique, Steuben, or Baccarat mark, and even cut glass. I've often had difficulty finding one.

These companies usually marked their pieces by acid etching the mark or by signing them with an electric marking process. Often these marks are almost invisible to the naked eye with out proper lighting or magnification.

Once at an estate sale, I spotted a huge frosted glass frog sitting on a card table. I must have picked it up and put it back when I couldn't find a mar on the bottom, just like scores of other people did, during the day. I searched the rest of the sale a while and didn't find anything, but my mind wouldn’t let me forget that frog.

I went back to the room where the frog was and examined it once again from top to bottom. Even though this frog seemed so special, I still couldn't come up with anything. I put it back and headed to my car. Before I opened the door, I stopped dead in my tracks. That darn frog was bothering me, so I went back into the house, picked the blasted thing up and told myself I was going to find that mark or it's going to kill me. Believe it or not, there it was, as clear as day -- "Lalique." I immediately took it to the check out and the woman told me $25. I paid very quickly, before I could crack a smile or bust out laughing.

Once I started the research, I discovered that this little frog was quite valuable. I put it on eBay. It was hard to wait so many days for the auction to end, but it finally did and I netted $625 for myself.

There are a lot of people that don’t know the rare pieces made by these companies from the common ones. When you do, it will give you a tremendous advantage over them. Stay with the best names in the clear glass, because the copycats, as I have called them, have very little value in the secondary markets.

A lot of glass is also overpriced, and this is where discipline is needed. Don’t ever over pay for anything you buy, even if you can make a small profit. At the 31 Club, we set our goals at doubling the price we pay for each item, at the very least. And remember, look carefully for a mark. Make sure you bring a pen light and have a magnifying tool with you. And -- become familiar with those rare items that may not be marked.

I often tell Members of the 31 Club that money in the antique and collectible world can be made with items smaller than a bread box. Besides not taking up too much space in your home until you get them sold, you won’t be faced with transporting these small treasures back and forth, which eats away at your time and erodes your profit. Snuff Boxes and Snuff Bottles certainly qualify as items smaller than a bread box, and they can be quite valuable. Today, I'll focus mainly on snuff boxes.

Snuff, used for many centuries, is a tobacco that is ground into a very fine powder. It’s sniffed through the nose, tucked behind the lip, or tucked inside the cheek. It came in either a dry form or a moist form.

In Europe, in centuries gone by, the use of snuff was a very popular social ritual, mainly with the elite. Many a high society lady or gent would never leave home without their stylish snuff box and would often have several to choose from. They even had snuff boxes for every season. In China, snuff bottles were very popular, and the bottle stopper had a little pad on the inside of it. The process for use was the same.

In 19th Century America, some women might have smoked cigars in public for its shock value, however, there were far more ladies discreetly using snuff, which was perfectly acceptable. This was Women’s Lib 19th Century style, and it caught on.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and we find that anything to do with snuff has become highly collectible. If you find one for a collector, they'll pay you handsomely, especially for the right one.

Snuff boxes can be made from almost any material. They were often made of antler, silver, wood, brass, gold, pewter and many others. They also can be a combination of several materials, artistically decorated. Most boxes were decorated with gold or silver, often with the owner’s initials engraved on them. Many were highly decorated, and of course, these are quite valuable. Let’s look at a few values in Kovel’s Price Guide to see if your eyebrows move a little north:

A 3” Gold Enamled Box of a Harbor Scene, c. 1830 valued at $17,250. If that’s too rich for your blood, how about a Metal, Gilt, Musical, engine-turned panels sized at four inches for $14,950. These must have been owned by a very special lady or gent.

$32,500. That's the price of the snuff box shown in Today's Photo, top photo. It's at M.S. Rau Antiques and this Swiss Enamel and Gold Snuff Box, circa 1740, looks like it contains a double ivory portrait,adding to its value. This is a real beauty. When you take a look at all their high end snuff boxes, you'll have a better idea of the high quality, high end boxes out there.

Today's Photo, bottom, is an Papier Mache Snuff Box With a Print of American Victory on Lake Champlain, circa 1814. This piece will also qualify as Historical Memorabilia as it is a rare example of the War of 1812. It depicts Macdonough's September 11, 1814 victory over the British fleet on Lake Champlainthe. It's valued at $ $1,350 at aaawt.com.

Remember, we look for the higher end, rare items. As we work our way up the 31 Steps, our ever increasing knowledge of true quality and rarity will help us along the way. Please make every effort to attend antique shows in your area to see high quality items up close and face to face. The first goal is to be able to recognize quality when you see it.

Snuff was not reserved for the high society crowd. We regular folks used it, too. I can still remember the way my Grandmother would quickly sniff a little, sneeze, and then hold her dainty handkerchief to her nose. As a child, I often wondered why she would do this. Maybe to clear her nose, I thought.

Today, snuff is a dying industry. To the ladies and gents of days long gone, aside from being the socially chic thing to do then, that special little high from nicotines was what they were probably after. In those days, the use of snuff also made the dentists very happy, too. It caused many a mouth problem and surely increased the bottom line in the dentists' books.

If you're interested in "sniffing out" more information on snuff boxes, you might start by reading Christopher Proudlove's Blog on Snuff Boxes at WriteAntiques.com and Tobacco.org has a very informative timeline of tobacco that's quite interesting.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

After I posted yesterday’s blog about the Whirligigs sought after by collectors, I guess my mind started going back to the days I spent growing up on a farm. Before I knew it, I was researching Windmill Weights. Maybe windmills were on my mind because of the need for this country to find new energy resources. Maybe the windmill images from the T. Boone Pickens commercials were forward in my mind. Only the Good Lord understands the intricacies of my mind. But, boy! I’m glad I did the research. I always thought windmill weights were in the form of animals, birds, moons, or stars, but I was mistaken, and I got quite the education on these folk art collectibles.

In case you're not as old as I am, I'll provide a little background info to understand the historical interest in windmill weights. Yesteryear, in parts of rural America and other parts of the world, many farms used windmills to capture the power of the wind to pump water out of wells for use on their land. Windmills also provided the energy to pump well water to fuel the early locomotives. Grain, especially in Europe, was ground by the energy provided by windmills. These windmills had many moving parts, of course, and a windmill weight was one of them.

Today, these weights are very collectible, valuable, and make great folk art. And there are lots of collectors who'd be grateful if you found a real beauty for their collection.

There are four different kinds of windmill weights – the Tail Weight, the Governor Weight, the Spoke Weight and the Regulator Weight. The Tail Weights are the most decorative of all.

There are hundreds of windmill weights to find, and they are still out there in the old barns and sheds. And some are quite valuable. Many of the weights you’ll find are painted, but I learned that this was usually done after the weight had out-lived its usefulness and later became a piece of folk art.

Many times paint is used to disguise a reproduction, however there are many ways to distinguish the real thing from a new reproduction.The best way is to look for rust. When these weights were used, they picked up sand in the rust, and this is what made the finish on the older weights. Watch for holes in the weights. They shouldn’t be straight up and down on the real ones, rather tapered. Any damage can quickly reduce their value.

I was fortune enough to run across the book,Windmill Weights, by Rich Nidey and Don Lawrence. I took a look at a site with some info on their book, and boy – what a head full I got.

Today's Photo comes from Ames Hill Antiques and this 15 inch star weight made by the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Co. Batavia, Ill. c, 1890. is mounted on a tiger maple stand and has provenance to a Minnesota farm. It's priced at $2250.

I think you’ll agree that these nifty items are worth looking for.

There is an endless stream of items people collect, and if we find them for collectors (or for ourselves) our coffers will be filled. An old saying I recall says, “Go where others have feared to go.” 31 Club says, “Look where others have failed to look.”

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

If I told you a whirligig could bring in some big money, would you know what a whirligig is and how to spot one?

I always teach that the money in this business is made in the rare. The rare and desirable will keep your money turning, and a whirligig falls into this category.

So what is a whirligig? Think motion. Think action. Then, consider our past as a farming culture. When we were mainly farmers, birds in the fields, pecking away at crops was a real problem. Farmers needed something to scare off the birds without having to constantly have someone on the lookout who could to run out into the fields and wildly flap their arms to get rid them. Enter the whirligig. It’s a type of interesting and creative folk contraption made by a farmer on his time off from the fields, to solve the bird problem. Many will call it a toy, because it brought much delight to children, as well as to adults, but this contraption was designed with a purpose.

Most of these interesting contraptions are made of wood, but they can be made of almost any material. They have moving pieces, and when the wind blows on them, it creates an action. They might remind you of windmills -- folksy windmills.

I have seen figural whirligigs whose arms spin and the head moves. These are rather simple, but there are others depicting a person sawing a log or a woman churning butter. With these, you are beginning to touch upon the higher dollar whirligigs. They weren’t actually meant to scare off the birds, but rather to enjoy. These are the ones whose dollar value has escalated so much. The number of these pieces that have survived till now is limited. To the avid collector of these artistic creations, the hunt for them is a labor of love.

Unlike items like duck decoys, whose value escalates when it is signed by a particular artist, whirligigs don’t have to be signed for them to be valuable; the value is in the design.

Here is an example of some whirligig values: Two men turning a fan, articulated limbs, 13X18 inches, valued at $690. 20th Century 12” man wearing black jacket and blue trousers,$1380. Policeman, one arm and band leader the other arm, 20 inches, wooden, $3300. And, a man wearing a pealed hat, blue jacket, and red vest, 21 inches, $6325.

While there are reproductions, a close look will tell you the differences. Look for signs of new paint, modern screws, no patina, poor workmanship and materials not of the time.

There are so many items that have the potential to bring big money, but first we have to know what to look for. If you come across one of these during your hunt, I hope this blog will come to mind. And, if you’re successful in buying it, you might just keep a whirligig for a while before selling it just to amuse yourself.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The 31 Club is on the march, and with our new listing arm on Askart.com, members who list art work in the 31 Gallery will have the backing of AskArt's 70,000 daily viewers coming into play. If you’ve been wondering if anything is happening, our tentacle on Ask Art should assure you there’s much work going on behind the scenes.

Our Wish List and Inventory Pages will be tested on Friday, and provided there no bugs, you will soon be able to do your own advertising and bookkeeping right on the 31 Club Members Site. If you haven’t gone onto the Members Only site yet, you might do so now and take a look at the 31 Club Expert Resource. If you decide an auction is the best venue for your particular item(s), our Listing of Specialty Auction Houses is an invaluable resource. Here, we’ve identified the best auction houses to sell an item of a particular category.

Presently, it’s taking some time to get all your listings posted. You can speed up this process by sending us photos sized 640 x 480, including photos of the markings, if any. If you don’t know of a way to re-size your photos, try downloading GIMP. It’s free and you can do a lot of nifty things with this program.

Your listing should include as many details as possible, like they ask for on eBay. Specifically, we need size, artist’s name, the material it’s made of, date or time period if you can determine it, and any markings on the piece. It’s very important to be accurate about its condition, and any damage needs to be specifically identified.

If your items is a painting, please indicate whether or not it’s signed, as well as the location of the signature. (Lower right, lower left, etc.) Is it oil on canvas, oil on board, watercolor, or ink drawing? Make sure this is indicated. Also include the size - framed and unframed.

Include information about provenance, (origins) if there is any. This can increase the value of your item.

Website hits are growing steadily each month, and this will result in more sales and purchases. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we appreciate our charter members who’ve supported while we build an amazing site. Nothing could have been accomplished without those of you who climbed on board with us on this new adventure at a time when the media was writing the epitaph on this business. I know we are the industry leaders when I see others trying to duplicate our efforts. They''ll find that hard to do, considering they don’t have the fantastic and loyal members of the 31 Club behind them.

A 31 Club First – A painting assigned by a member to the Associates Program and purchased by 31 Club will be going to auction in at an internationally known auction house for modern design and art, Wright Auctions, here in Chicago. When it sells, this club member will make 35% of its net sales price without having to had invested a dime.

By month’s end, we should be hitting all cylinders so keep watching and participating with us in the best club in the antique business.

We warmly welcome all suggestions that you feel would benefit our members, so don’t be shy about dropping us a note during are growth and construction phase. We’d love to hear from you.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Monday, September 22, 2008

I have just been welcomed into the reality of life with a growing 9-year-old boy who has many interests. If you’re wondering what this has to do with the 31 Club and making money, here it is: The price and value of musical instruments.

When Joshua came home from school the other day and informed me and my wife that he was going to be in the band, my first thought was – Great! Then I went on eBay and checked prices on his chosen instrument, the Saxophone.

I could hardly believe there was a sax listed for $100,000. I knew this had to be a very special one so I continued in my search. After going through about fifty saxophones, slowly, the prices dropped to $5000 and I was beginning to feel a panic. Another hundred listings and the price was down to $2,500. At this point I thought Joshua and I might be having a very intense conversation about what kind of musical instrument he might pursue. I finally got to the very end of the listings on eBay and found some for about $300. These, I figured, must really be trash. It wasn’t until later that Cindy suggested I might rent an instrument for a while to see if this was truly what Joshua wanted to pursue before investing money in a high quality instrument. She's been through this before.

I’m sharing this all with you because Joshua’s interest has uncovered an area of collecting that I’ve never delved into. As you can guess, that might soon change.

I frequently see used instruments at House Sales and Garage Sales, so after checking the saxophone on eBay, I looked into other band instruments such as trumpets, clarinets, flutes and tubas. It was the same for all of them. Even at the local auction I attend twice a month, there are always instruments sold. I promise you, I will be doing more research into this are and writing more blogs on this subject. But, while you’re waiting for me to give you more direct information, I sugget you begin doing your own homework.

Isn't it amazing that just when you think you’ve covered most of the items that will present compounding opportunities, more ideas present themselves to you. I wrote in my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions In Antiques and Collectibles the fact that knowledge comes in layers and the more of these you build, the more likely you will be successful in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Art Business. I didn’t know I would be preaching to the chorus. You see, while I have been presenting you with the knowledge I’ve accumulated over 45 years in the business, it’s become apparent to me that I may have only skimmed the surface myself.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

One goal we have at the 31 Club is to help our members move up to buying and selling in the higher end of the market, where the real profit is. This shouldn’t be done without caution. When you’re first starting out in this business and purchasing in the lower end of the market, you might come across items that are beyond your budget or knowledge. Using the Associates Program for these types of purchases will keep you from having to make buying decisions on higher priced items, yet still enable you to benefit monetarily.

This is important because, the more expensive and desirable an items is, the greater the chance of there being fakes on the market. Large amounts of money can be made in a very short period of time when the sale of a fake is completed. So, it’s important to know how to protect yourself when you’re buying in the higher end of the market.Buying from the Internet requires extra precautions be taken, not just against fakes, but against those who would take your money and not deliver the goods.

The story of a man who bought a vintage Jaguar from the Internet illustrates some of the dangers you might face. You see, after calling the Jaguar seller at the number provided and feeling secure, he sent a cashiers check for the total amount. The seller informed the buyer that all the paperwork and owner’s manuals would arrive to him the next day. They never arrived, so the buyer called the seller and was assured they were on the way. Finally, after about 10 days, a box arrived, but it was filled with a pile of newspapers but no manuals. When the buyer called the seller, he discovered that the phone number had been disconnected. By this time, his cashier’s check had already been cashed.(surprise, surprise)

So what could the buyer have done?

He might have called a local Jaguar dealer close to where the seller lives and asked if they would take delivery of the car he he paid them a few hundred dollars. They probably would’ve done that. Then, you could have sent the check to the dealer to hold until the car arrived, and the dealer could register it in your name. Or, another way to complete the deal would be to fly out there to pick the car up yourself, bringing the check with you. This way, nothing is paid for until you see the item yourself and are satisfied. If the item you’re buying is over $500, taking extra precaution may well be worth the extra time and money.

I’ve had experience in this area myself. I had the chance to purchase two paintings in Florida that were supposedly painted by a well known artist. I decided to call a friend of mine who was in the auction business in that town and ask him if I could have the two paintings dropped off at his place of business and send the check for $50,000 to him. He agreed.

When the paintings arrived, he quickly photographed them and e-mailed me the photos. I sent these photos on to the authority on this artist. Almost immediately, the authority on this artist responded to me saying, “We saw these two paintings about two years ago. They were fakes then, and they are still fakes today.”

I called my friend and asked him to send me back my check and have the seller pick up his paintings. What do you think would have happened if the check had been sent to the seller? If you’re buying high priced items, I sure any local auction house would agree to accept your items if you paid them something for their time and effort.

What are some of the other things you can do to protect yourself from scams and fraud?

You might ask the seller if you could have the piece picked up. If he says, “yes,” then that has improved the chances that you are dealing with an honest person. Second, if you’ve been in the business long enough and have business references, you might be able to persuade the seller to send you the item(s) and if they are as he described, you will over-night him a check. Or, you could ask for the name, address and phone of the seller’s bank. This way you could check out the person you’re dealing with.

I did this very thing when I wanted to buy a very nice piece of Lotton Glass that was listed on eBay. The seller had no feedback and no rating so no one would bid on it. I called the seller and found out he was staying with a friend, which made me very suspicious. Strike one. I asked if he had a bank account in town and he told me “yes.”

I got the bank information and called to check the account and was told it had just been opened the day before. Strike two, right? Well, I didn’t want to give up so I asked if his banker would receive the vase. I’d be able to check out the vase with the banker and then send a check payable to the seller in his banker’s care. Believe it or not, everyone agreed to this and I profited by about $4,000.

Make every effort to protect yourself and this business will be even more fun than it is already.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Yesterday, when I saw the morning stock market flying high and lots of e-mails coming in, I thought the day started out to be just beautiful. But the best of the day came when I got an e-mail asking if I could help with pricing an item. The young lady stated she was afraid of being ripped off, and she had no idea what the value of a print she had was. I asked her to call me so we could talk further. She did.

This young lady, Julie, is a student at a college in California. She found us on the Internet. I don’t believe in coincidences, so I figured there was a special purpose for her inquiry, and hopefully, I could help. Her first words to me were, “I bought this print and it had an original sticker on the back.” I told her that was a good start, but did she know who made the print? “Yes, it’s Maxfield Parrish, and the name of the print is “Stars.”

I immediately pulled out my Maxfield Parrish book by Coy Ludwig and discovered this print was a pretty fair find. I was able to tell her that there were three sizes: Small – 6x10, medium 10x18 and large 18x30. The large one is the most rare.

I could tell she was eager to know what is was worth, so I didn’t wait long before letting her know the larger one was worth from $1800-$2500. Unfortunately, she has the medium one, which will bring in about $700-$900.

I couldn’t resist asking her why she’s looking to sell it. “I have to sell it to buy my books this semester,” she told me. My heart stopped because I could tell she was very attached to the print.

I advised her not to be upset about selling this piece and to definitely buy her books and complete college. I told her that after graduation, she’ll be able to buy as many of these as she wanted. I didn’t want our conversation to end there, and as we talked, I learned that she had an interest and Antiques and Fine Art. She also told me she had some spare time away from her studies. I introduced her to the principles of the 31 Club, and she seemed to easily grasp the concept, so I invited her to join us. I assured her that being involved with the 31 Club could help with her school expenses. I feel certain we will soon have a new member from California.

I encourage all of you who are members to never miss the chance to share what the 31 Club is all about with others. You might just end up being somebody’s angel when one is needed.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Friday, September 19, 2008

When you’re considering buying an item or a painting that needs repair, you might ask yourself what the increase in value will be after its restoration. While I usually recommend you allow the purchaser do the restoration, there is that rare time it makes sense for you to have a piece restored.

One of our members sent me a photo of a painting from a sales bulletin. It caught my eye, all right, and she planned to buy it. Before the sale, she contacted me again, saying the painting had some damage, but not too much. We agreed she’d bid on the piece without getting too carried away on the price. This painting soon became hers. She sent it to a restorer I recommended here in Chicago – Baumgartners, and yesterday I got to see it. Boy is it a beauty.

The artist, Jean Dominique Van Caulaert (French 1877-1979) had a listing in Davensport of $9,000. While I don’t expect this one to do that well, at under $750 restored, I believe this is a treasure. In fact, I like it so much I was thinking it would make a great addition to my own collection. But, I’m not going to do that this time. I’ve got enough for now, so look for this soon in the 31 Gallery.

While I don’t recommend you go out looking for damaged pieces, it you find a real quality piece, it might make sense if it is discounted enough. You see, when the restoration increases the value of a piece, by perhaps 5 to 7 times, that’s when you step forward and get the repairs done.

The Frederick Morgan painting I wrote about in my book was a painting I had relined. I bought it for $16,000 and this restoration didn’t reduce its value, and it sold for $115,000. It would have been very easy to have walked away thinking it was no good because it had been “fooled with”. There are times you can be proud of the decisions you make and that was one of those decisions for me.

Usually, items should be left alone. I wouldn’t want to be looking for damaged pieces and get to be known as a dealer of repaired pieces. But if the discount is sufficient and the restored article will bring many times its cost plus repair, then jump on it.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

As I discussed in my blog on buying and selling in uncertain economic times, the days ahead might get a little rough. However, this gives us even more reason to bone up on KNOWLEDGE. It is our knowledge of antiques and fine art that will give us the edge we need to be successful in the coming days, regardless of any economic downturns in our country or worldwide. The best and highly desirable always sells and we need to be able to recognize it and buy it.

Network, network, network! You'll be doing yourself a huge favor by letting people know you’re in this business. By doing so, you open yourself up to the possibility of having amazing things cross your path. Whenever I’m in conversation with someone, I try not to leave until I’ve at least mentioned I’m in the Antique and Fine Art business. Your saying so might even turn up some Civil War letters written by a Confederate Soldier to his wife, as it did for one of our 31 Club Members.

The lot of 147 Civil War Letters, found by a club member and purchased through our Associates Program, found a buyer immediately through our network of private buyers. The same thing happened with the Vintage Kentucky Derby Glass. In fact, this sale happened so fast we didn’t even have the time to list the glass on our marketplace.

This time of economic uncertainty isn't a time to rest on our laurels. Be very aggressive in your search for the special pieces that will propel you to the next level. And if you find something special that's not in you're buying budget, call us to go through the Associate Program and make the 35%.

This business never becomes dull for me. I hope it is never dull for you, either. With every passing day, I’m amazed by the things that come up. I received a great phone call recently as I was typing away at the computer. “Are you Mr. Lambert,” a warm voice with an East Coast accent asked? This got my attention because most people don’t call me Mr. Lambert. She asked me if I buy things. I told her I did and asked her to tell me what kind of things she wanted to sell. “Well, I don’t know if you’d have an interest, but I saw you had a Patrick Henry Document for sale, and I have six of those.”

I turned up the volume on my phone. I didn’t want to seem too excited, but I asked her what other items she’s considering parting with. "Well, I do have an original poem that was written for a member of my family by Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s never been published.” Thump. (That's the sound of me falling on the floor.) Those of you who’ve read my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, know that it was Robert Louis Stevenson’s book, Treasure Island, that inspired me as a youngster, setting me on the path I’ve been on for almost 45 years –searching out antique and art treasures.

She has since sent me the photos of these items, plus a few others. We are at the point of evaluating them and exploring which method might be best for selling them. Now that’s exciting!

Being a history buff, there isn't anything more exciting for me than to be in possession of something that belonged to a notable figure in history. In my head, on some level, it creates a connection with that person, and for some reason – it’s important for me to feel that connection. Who knows exactly why this is so, and I'm not going to try to figure it out. There's too much treasure hunting to attend to.

I am sure there are members who have exciting stories that other members would like to hear. So, I am soliciting your stories so that we can include them on our website or in a blog. Please send them to Cindy at cindy@31corp.com

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

I have to confess, I to am a little enamored by Sarah Palin. I think she should make all women proud, even if they don’t agree with her. But, let’s focus on the Eskimo heritage of the First Dude of Alaska, Tod Palin. You see, if we’re going to stay a step ahead of the times in the Antique & Collectible business, his Eskimo heritage may very well be relevant to us. There are many works of art and collectibles that have originated in Alaska by her native people.

I was tremendously interested in Native Alaskan studies when I was a young man still in college, and I did an extensive study of their ways. I can say without hesitation that the Native Alaskans a sturdy breed. They have to be in order to handle the weather conditions in Alaska. Due to their way of life, they have to make decisions that most of us will never experience. Natives living the true native life, spent most of their time just providing food for the family, even today. But, out in the rugged landscapes of Alaska, the native way of life is not without its art and decorative wares.

Since there are mostly nature and animals in those landscapes, you might figure that most of what the native people living in the true native traditions have comes from nature and animals. You’d be right in your thinking. Many items were made from animal skins, bird, and fish. Seeds dyed with colors from native plants was often used as bead work.

Walrus was a favorite animal to make items from, and items are made from various parts of this animal. The bones and tusks, as well as hides, were used to make implements that served their daily needs. Today, there is a healthy group of collectors that search for the items used by the native people of Alaska in days past.

Here is a short list : Baskets made from the hides of Moose and Caribou, often adorned with ivory can bring from $750 up. Native Dolls are always a real treasure. The ones that truly represent native life can bring $2500 to $10,000. Cribbage Boards made from ivory will always be winners and can often exceed $1000. Drums, Harpoons, Knives, Sculptures and just plain Tusks are other items appealing to collectors. All of these items can help you work through the 31 Steps in your “Million Dollar Race.”

An episode of the Antique Road Show once featured a helmet from a region in Alaska a woman brought in for appraisal. “I just wanted to bring in something, but I know this probably has little value,“ were her words to the appraiser. Little did she know this helmet would steal the show. It had all the experts examining it, and if I’m correct in my figure – it was estimated at $250,000. If it were me, they’d have to carry me away in a stretcher!!! It's hard to remember all the things that come across your path, but I’m thinking that later, I remember there might have been a little controversy over that appraisal.

In the world of Antiques & Collectibles, there are so many things you could be knowledgeable about, but you can't know it all. Native Alaskan items is one more layer to place in your memory banks. Bringing this area to your attention today might be the little nudge you need to do some research before passing by an item that could possibly be native Alaskan. Or, it could inspire you to learn more and seek out these items. Learning about the different tribes, their history and customs, as well as what differentiates each tribes art and wares is a fascinating study. A good start is the book, Crossroads of Continents: Cultures of Siberia & Alaska. The hardcover book starts around $18, and their are inexpensive used soft cover books available.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Even in uncertain economic times like these, good customers are looking to increase their collections.

Having a buyer in mind before we buy an item greatly reduces the time it will take to sell it. When our time in the Antique & Collectible Business is spent servicing past customers, we won’t have to give away our found treasures at low prices. If we can find the right items for them, we’ll be able to turn our money quickly and keep it circulating. This should be one of our main goals.

At least 75% of the sales in the higher end Antiques and Fine Arts are made between private individuals.

Since I introduced Lotton Glass as the “next” Tiffany, many people have asked me to call them if I ran across a nice piece of this wonderful glass. Well, this happened two days ago. One of our members let me know he wished to sell a very special John Lotton 15” vase. I knew of a customer who just might be interested for the right price. Bingo. Another sale made and everyone is happy.

As the 31 Club grows larger, private sales between members will increase.

In private sales, the seller will receive more money for items, and the buyers will pay less. That works for me. How about you? I think we’ll have a large number of very satisfied customers.

The average sales price for items sold in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace is beginning to increase.

We are seeing more sales averaging $3,000 – $4,000 thousand and fewer items selling in the lower prices. You’ll make more money dealing in higher end items, and if you read yesterday’s blog, you’ll understand just why the higher end more rare items are where we want to be, especially in uncertain economic times.

Members Are on the Hunt for Great Items

Right now, I can mention several items that there have buyers just waiting for members to find the right piece for them. These include paintings by Carl Brenner, Patty Thum, Paul Sawyier, Pauline Palmer and Harvey Joiner. (By the way, we are working on acquiring one of Joiner’s paintings that’s presently in Canada.)

Customers of ours are looking for more great glass by Charles Lotton and John Lotton. A customer is looking for three Springfield Rifles to present to each one of his sons. George Ohr Pottery and Rookwood Pottery have buyers waiting for the right piece at 31 Club.

Utilizing the 31 Club Wish List in combination with the Associates Program will catapult your profit making ability.

Let’s see how this works: The Wish List gives you the opportunity to advertise the items you want to buy at no charge. Free Advertising. Say you’re wanting to by Rookwood Pottery, but you’re only able to purchase $300-$400 items. Along comes someone who sees your list and that you buy Rookwood, but they have a rare piece and want $2,000 for it. You know you can sell it for double that or more, but you don’t have the $2,000 to buy it. Are you going to throw away a perfectly good buy? No.

That’s when you use the Associates Program. We buy it, we sell it, and you get 35% of the net sale. Let’s plug some figures into that. Say we netted $4,500 when we sold that Rookwood vase you called us about. You’ll have made $1,575. And you never invested a dime or did anything to sell it. Now, add a zero onto all those figures and see how you feel. Think about this very hard and imagine the possibilities. I’ll be glad to hear from you when this hits you over the head. When it does, feel free to share your excitement with me at info@31corp.com or call me at 847-784-8544 if you have questions.

Now, go take on this fine day.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Civil War Letters written by a Confederate Soldier, a Lot of 147, sold at 31 Club Gallery & Marketplace in September, 2008.

How does your bank account look today? If there’s money in your Antique & Fine Art Business Account, this is the time to be very patient with your buying. The economic winds are shifting and time is needed to see where these winds are headed. Wisely use the things you’ve learned, continue to learn through the 31 Club, and do not be too venturesome in your buying right now. Time is needed to see where these winds are headed.

The Economic Shift May Leave Only One "Out" For Many People.

I foresee a tremendous amount of merchandise coming to the market in the short term, as people find their portfolios decreasing in value while their expenses escalate. This may leave only one option open for many people -- selling off the items of value they have treasured.

A Likely Flood of New Treasures.

A flikely flood of merchandise coming to market can cause the value of many things to suffer a temporary dip. You don’t want to get caught with items you can’t sell. Be willing to really do extra research before you buy during these periods of economic uncertainty. Your knowledge will lead you to items that will sell under any economic condition.

So what sells well during times of economic shifts?

The rare and the unusual will always be sought after regardless of economic conditions. But don’t kid yourself -- the collectors of the rare and unusual are savvy. After all, while the rest of the nation might be experiencing tough times, they aren’t. They must know a thing or two, wouldn’t you say? In this economic shift, their investment savvy will tell them to take more time to search out the real treasures and purchase at a good price.

Restrict Your Buying to Keep Your Money Moving.

Now is the time to restrict your buying to items that are still trading on a regular basis today. During this time, the best buys you will ever make will be found in the short term. Buy it right, sell it quickly, keep your money moving.

A Real Example from 31 Club Sales.

The Civil War Letters that were just sold by the 31 Club sold very quickly. Why? Let’s begin by examining their value.

The information I was able to uncover through research showed me the largest lot of letters written by a Civil War soldier,sold publicly, was a little over 40 letters, written by a Union Soldier. The lot 31 Club sold was a lot of 147 letters written by a Confederate Soldier and are considered more rare and desirable than that of a Union Soldier.

The content of this Confederate Soldier’s letters contained much information about were he was during certain battles and mentioned the time when General Lee had to recruit “Negro soldiers” to fight for the South due to his dwindling troops. From the tone of this particular letter, one gleans that this event didn't make the soldier very happy. This kind of historical and at-the-scene information is what you’re looking for in material from the war. I seriously believe that within a year or two, a book about these letters will find its way to the market.

I’m sure you now realize why this first hand historical information from a Confederate Soldier’s perspective has great value, regardless of what the economy is doing. This is the reason why they sold so quickly. It isn't like a painting painted by a fairly good artist that a prospective buyer might consider waiting a bit for because the price might come down. The buyer of the Civil War letters knew there was one chance to buy. If they waited, someone else would own them.

So, What Should We Search For?

If you spend your money buying more common items you are unable to quickly turn, where will your funds come from when something rare comes your way? Be patient in your buying right now, and strike while the iron is hot.

Make a serious effort to search out the more rare and unusual that can be quickly sold. No, we may not be buying as much as we could buy at times when people are upbeat nor when selling something doesn’t take as much time, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is the quality and rarity of what you purchase.

Remember the Purpose of Working the 31 Club’s Model Before You Buy.

Compounding Your Money!!!

If you can compound 31 times, all your financial desires will be beyond met. If you can even compound 15 times, I’m willing to guess your financial desires might still be met. If you’re buying items you can’t quickly turn, you eliminate the compounding factor and minimize your opportunity to progress and meet your financial and lifelong goals. Patience, perseverance, research, and smart buying will work in your favor in any economic climate. Take an offensive position against the shifting economic winds.

What To Do When You Find a Rare Item You Can't Afford to Purchase Right Now

Contact me at 31 Club. Club Members can take advantage of the 31 Club Associates Program when they come across rare or unusual items but don't have the money in their buying budget. We buy it, sell it, and the member makes 35% of the net sale. Questions? Ask me at info@31corp.com or call me at 847-784-8544.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Yes, going green is the “in” thing to do these days, but we in the Antique Business have been green all along. We don’t follow the crowd, we lead the crowd. You see, we don’t manufacture new products and contribute to the by products associated with this process, rather we recycle and buy existing items to use again and again. These “recycled” items have a life of their own, and we connect these items with those who seek them out – The Collectors. Today, there’s another way to “go green” in the Antique Business. Malachite.

Malachite is a green semi-precious stone that has irregular bands, or rings, running through it. These layers are usually darker than the predominant green of this stone, and it’s very eye appealing. Imitation malachite has very regular black or white banding. Larger deposits of malachite come from Zaire, Siberia and Australia among other places. I believe it is one of the most beautiful stones you can acquire. It is often said to have healing and mystical properties, but I'll leave that up to you. I've linked a site below where you can read more, but don't forget to research this yourself. That's how you'll learn best.

Often, you will find inexpensive pieces of Malachite from the Czech Republic made into small animals, flowers or other designs, but the true value is in larger pieces such as boxes or jewelery cases. I once found a jewelery case made of Malachite and bought it just because I found it to be so beautiful. I didn’t know much about it at the time, and thought my wife would really like to have it sitting on her dresser. I hate to admit this, but when I got home and began researching its value, it didn’t stay in our house very long.

My wife always says I sell everything she likes, and that’s probably true, because she’s got great taste and an eye for quality. However, in this case, an easy couple of thousand dollars quick profit was more than I could resist. I’ve done the same with toys I’ve come across, thinking I’d bring it home for my son, Josh. I guess that doesn’t make me too popular around the house, but we’ve still managed to acquire a quality collection of items, despite this habit of mine.

So why might you be paying attention to Malachite? It’s one item many people overlook, and once you’re aware of the better pieces, you might just find a treasure at that estate sale after all.

We’ve got a beautiful example of a better piece in our 31 Gallery & Marketplace. It’s a centerpiece of Malachite birds and Mexican Silver, and that’s what today’s photo is. You can get the details of this item here.

So, stay “green” and don’t forget the Malachite.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Like most other people, I have memories etched into my mind over a number of years. Yes, we will forget 90% of the things that happen from year to year, but there are certain events that will never be removed from our memories, even though the emotional affects of it may subside.

I am sitting at this computer after 12:00 midnight on Friday night with tears in my eyes because, as the sun rises Saturday morning, there are many people whose entire lives will be changed once Hurricane Ike passes over Texas. I pray that not many lives will be lost but, I am fearful there will be. Electricity will be out, homes and schools will be destroyed, hospitals will be vacant of patients or working on limited back up power. The face of the communities that have been an anchor to many will be washed away along with their jobs. I could make an entire list of the after affects, but I won’t right now.

What is most on my mind is the friends I’ve made through the 31 Club who are in the path of Ike, and how their lives might change. I ask that you take some time out and pray for William R., Coral B., Linda B., Pricilla C., Lou Ann P and the many others of our Club from that area I may have left out. Remember, we started out to create a community, and here is a chance to act in the spirit of community on behalf of our members in Texas.

When I speak of memories that are etched in our minds forever, aside from personal memories, my mind often goes to historical events.

My dad went to World War II when I was first born. This has always makes me feel safe and proud, because he didn't go just to protect me, but to protect all Americans and their freedom. I’m sure my mother prayed for him every night. You see, our country use to be proud of our servicemen. I ask you to pray for our servicemen tonight.

The event most vivid in my memory after that came many years later when our President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was still working my way through college, selling Volkswagens in Owensboro, Kentucky at the time. When someone entered the dealership and said the President had been shot, I thought they were kidding. But I could soon tell by the expression on their face, this was the truth.

I felt as if time stood still in those early moments. This made me rethink what was important to me. You see, even though I was a Republican, my President had just been shot. I was sad, angry, mournful and shocked to my core. I wonder today how many people would say, "He was my President," if God forbid, George Bush got shot. How far this country has strayed. I ask you to pray for our leaders today.

Cindy has told me that she was appalled to witness the treatment our soldiers received upon returning home from Vietnam. Whether you agreed with the war or not shouldn’t have been at issue, she said to me once. The fact was, these young men put their life on the line in service to our country -- all of us-- and should have been welcomed home as heros regardless of the war’s outcome. Instead they were reviled. Please pray for the safety of our troops worldwide whether or not you agree with the mission.

The attempt on Ronald Reagan's life shook me to the core, but thankfully he survived and continued his term in office. I will let you judge his success.

I was hardly prepared for the events of 9/11. Killing civilian men, women and children with no remorse is beyond my capacity to understand. I have been taught to pray for my enemies, but this one is a tough task for me. But, the more I understand, the more I realize this is what is needed for God to do his work. So, please pray for those who wish to harm us.

Friday, September 12, 2008

I never know where I might pick up additional information to store inside my head. Often, great information that makes me good money comes from people asking my opinion on something I’m not very familiar with. Once I research it, I find that it is another name I should add to my list of things to search for.

This happened to me just the other day when Mary C., a member of the 31 Club asked if I could help her with some Karen Karnes pottery she might want to sell it the price was right. Well, I wasn’t familiar with Karen Karnes, so I headed to the Internet. Yeehaa! There in front of me was more information about this pottery than I really needed. Her work is marked with a very distinctive mark of two capital “K’s” back to back, similar to the Rookwood “R’s”.

I will share here Biography with you, from Craft In America.

"Karen Karnes (b. 1925) is a ceramic artist heralding from New York (Brooklyn, to be exact) who uses salt glazing and wood firing in her work. It has been said that Karen is the "grandmother of American ceramics," having been influenced at the prestigious, but short-lived Black Mountain College by renowned avant-garde artists like Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, and Peter Voulkos.

Her work, though traditional in material, always retains a modern approach, whether it's a functional pot or an expressive sculptural vessel. She attended Brooklyn College and Alfred University in New York. She has worked at Black Mountain College and Gatehill College in Stony Point, NY. The list of her exhibitions is extensive and her work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Arts and Design, Cranbrook Museum of Art, Everson Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others."

As you can see she has a rather extensive background and will be an artist I'll be looking for from now on. I hope to see these pots in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace soon. So, be on the lookout for her work. Most dealers won't recognize it, and the price at your next estate sale for one of her pieces might be as low as $5.00.

This just goes to show that even contemporary items can be treasures, but the secret is to find the right ones. I can assure you that I have passed by a fortune by not spending more time researching the artists of today, both on canvass and in pottery. As you can see, I am trying to get up to speed. As I do, I will pass it on to our members.

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Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.We Buy & Sell It.You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

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